‘Hello again, dear, how are you, any news? I asked your colleague here, but she said there wasn’t anything she could tell me.’
‘I’m afraid Cathy is right; we have nothing yet. Did you manage to download the CCTV for me?’
Maggie beamed at her. Standing up she picked up a pen drive from a shelf and handed it over. ‘I did, I also checked it actually worked and it did.’
Morgan wanted to kiss the woman’s cheek; instead she reached forward, patting her arm.
‘Thank you, this is wonderful.’
‘I didn’t sleep a wink last night, as exciting as all of this is my heart is aching for that poor family. No one deserves this, I don’t care if you’re the most miserable, meanest person in the world they still wouldn’t deserve to be murdered. Not that I’m saying Sally or David were, in fact they were the opposite, but you know that it’s hard to think of a reason they could have upset somebody enough to…’ Her voice broke, the tears began to flow, and Cathy stood up, tearing off a piece of kitchen roll and passing it to Maggie.
‘Thank you, dear.’
This time Morgan couldn’t stop herself; she took a step forward and hugged the sobbing woman, holding her tight in her arms, and Maggie clutched onto her hard. Morgan rocked her, the way Sylvia used to do when she was a child and upset. Cathy was watching them, a look of discomfort across her face. Eventually Morgan gave Maggie a squeeze and released her, and she dabbed her eyes with a corner of the paper towel.
‘I’m sorry, it’s been a long time since I’ve had a hug, thank you.’
Morgan smiled. ‘Sometimes a hug is all you need.’ She thought of Cain; his famous bear hugs when she’d been feeling low had cheered her up no end despite the fact that she wasn’t really a people person or a hugger.
‘Maggie, do you still have my phone number?’
She nodded.
‘Well, if you ever need someone to come for a tea and a chat or a hug then you ring me, okay. I’ll probably be back and forth for the next few days anyway, and the PCSOs are here too if you need anything.’
‘Thank you.’
The words were little more than a whisper. Morgan smiled at Cathy who was watching both women with a quizzical look on her face.
Clutching the pen drive she walked out of the house, and on reaching the front door she turned and called out, ‘Maggie, promise me you’ll lock this door when Cathy leaves and don’t open it for anyone unless they show you official identification. No leaving it ajar, not until we know what’s happened, okay.’
‘I promise.’
Morgan walked out, closing the door behind her to the sound of the dog’s loud snores coming from the sofa. He was the worst guard dog she’d ever come across, and she hoped that the woman would take her safety seriously.
NINE
The mood in the station was sombre to say the least when Morgan and Cain returned. Officers were milling around in their dress uniforms ready to go to the crem for Des’s funeral. Even though it wasn’t her fault, Morgan couldn’t shake the feeling deep down inside that it was; once again a killer’s obsession with her had brought them to this dreadful outcome. When was it going to stop and why was she such a good target for anyone who wasn’t remotely like the rest of the population?
‘Brookes.’
Mads’s voice snapped her out of the worries that were creasing her forehead and her mind. She turned to look at him. ‘Yes, Sarge?’
He beckoned her over to his office where he was standing, leaning against the door frame. He turned and went inside, and she followed him. ‘I forgot to ask you, did you want to be a pallbearer?’
She did not, could not think of anything worse but thought it was sweet of him to ask.
‘No, thank you. I’d be afraid to trip with my sore ankle and drop the coffin.’
Mads laughed. ‘Erm, there is that, just thought I’d better check. I also wanted to ask how Benno was, he’s a bit quiet.’
She looked at him. ‘I never realised you had a compassionate side to you. I always thought you were all jokes and sarcasm.’
‘Hey, even I have feelings now and again. He’s upset over Des, it’s hard to explain but when you’re in charge of a shift, or in his case a team, you kind of feel responsible for them, it won’t be easy to live with, and now the family last night, word has it he knew the mother.’
She nodded, he did.
‘Terrible situation that, well if either of you need anything, you know where I am.’
